"You never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them”(Page 798). This is a very important lesson to know in life because it explains why a man does the things he does. If this lesson of empathy is applied to life, the true characteristics of man will be revealed. To Kill a Mockingbird is the perfect example of empathy. The novel plainly states empathy all thought out the book and the examples can easily be applied to our lives. For example, not judging a person before getting to know their circumstances like Miss Caroline judging the Ewells before getting to know them. People will make honest mistakes but it take empathy to see them. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, three characters who show empathy are Atticus, …show more content…
He taught the great lesson of empathy to Scout after the first day of school where she was made fun of by the teacher in class. He told Scout to put herself in the teacher's shoes and showed Scout that the teacher was new and had a lot of kids to deal with. Next, Atticus displayed extreme empathy and self-control towards Bob Ewell. Bob Ewell had spit in Atticus's face because Atticus ruined his reputation in court (Bob Ewell did not have a great reputation anyway). Atticus did not care, instead he stood there and took it like a gentleman. He looked at Ewell's attack from Mayella's point of view. He saw that he was saving poor Mayella a beating from her father. Atticus also shows empathy to Boo Radley. He shows empathy by not turning him in for murder because he was the one who killed Bob Ewell when Atticus's children were attacked. Atticus would be exposing Boo to the world, the exact opposite of what Boo and Atticus …show more content…
Her first day of school was terrible and she blamed the teacher, Miss Caroline. Scout felt that Miss Caroline made fun of her in class in front of all her other classmates. After Atticus explained to her what empathy meant. She realized that Miss Caroline was new to Macomb and had not learned all for its ways. From then on, Scout applied empathy to her life throughout the rest of the novel. Scout later showed empathy towards the Ewells. She realized that she had to look at the Ewells life, and see that they don't have a relationship with their father as she does with hers. She saw that Bob Ewell did not care that his children were hunger and instead used the money on himself. He spent the money on drugs and then would beat Mayella. He did not care about his family and did not care what trouble they got into. Scout understood Bob Ewell, being as crooked as he was, needed to hunt out of season in order to be able to survive. Finely Scout showed empathy to Boo Radley. She sees that Boo Radley was not a bad man. All Boo wants to do is to be forgotten about. He is a shy man and does not want any more attention to be drawn to him of fear of what people will think of
Not only did Atticus show compassion towards friends , he also showed compassion to his enemy and their family. Atticus stepped in the shoes of the Ewells and said that "if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that 's something I 'll gladly take." (Lee 218) This represents compassion because he would gladly protect a victim of abuse with his own life.
Scout learns about empathy and subconsciously starts being empathetic towards the people of
She had finally realised that if the white community had shown empathy towards Tom Robinson and Mayella, Tom would have been set free and Bob Ewell arrested. In the end, throughout the novel, Scout is taught a prolific amount of advice, but most importantly
In the story, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Jem and Scout begin to understand other people’s lives. They start to realize everyone’s survival is different, and everyone deals with unlike situations, and these 2 characters begin to demonstrate lessons of empathy more and more as the book progresses, and there are many places in the book where they show this. In the text, Jem and Scout learn the importance of showing empathy toward others. Throughout the book, there are many pieces of evidence that support this idea.
In the book TKAM Atticus and his children and their good friend Boo Radley show how to judge right from wrong, show empathy and show compassion towards other people and themselves. In the novel to To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticu there are many different types characters who show many types character traits. Specifically the traits of compassion and empathy. Atticus shows fairness, braveness, and kindness which best shows empathy.
To Kill A Mockingbird Empathy You can’t just open a book and judge the story on the random chapter you happened to end up on, you start from the beginning and read the story, empathy is just that. Empathy is like reading someone else’s story: being one with the characters and events and feeling the emotions of the main character, observing, listening, and understanding. When you read their story is when the solution of racism and prejudices within communities comes in. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird the author, Harper Lee, shows empathy is the solution using characters.
In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird the author Harper Lee creates a strong theme showing how two of the main characters represent the innocence of a mockingbird. The two characters that are portrayed as sinners are accused of by men who are blinded by pride to the point where lives are taken. The virtue of Tom Robinson is displayed throughout the course of this story. For example, a witness from the audience at Tom Robinson’s trial speaks out and announces, “I just want the whole lot of you to know one thing right now.
When Scout is asked to say that Ewell fell on his knife she says to Atticus, “Well, it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it” (317). This shows us that she has become more mature and understands that doing harm to those who didn’t harm you is not something that should be tolerated despite your
Atticus became not only a role model for Scout and Jem but a role model for the whole town. He taught you not to be so quick to judge everything. From Boo Radley to Walter Cunningham, he shows how to accept people for who they are and to get know them before you judge them. “Because that is they only way he can pay me, he has no money” (Lee 21). When Scout saw the Cunninghams paying in different things like Hickory nuts and Stovewood, she was quick to question the payment.
Atticus displays compassion for others far more than any of the other characters in the novel. Atticus has so much compassion that in fact he is able to teach his own children how to love and respect others. Atticus shows his compassion when he is being called names during the trial, choosing to be kind to those who ridicule him, and to the innocent Tom Robinson. Without Atticus having his compassion, the other characters in the novel will never grow and learn to
Kindness is a universal language that everyone understands and should be willing to speak. In “To Kill a Mockingbird” one theme that has been internalized is the theme of compassion. Harper Lee truly understood the power that kindheartedness can have on a person. She wanted her audience to understand that being a kind person beats being a bitter person any day. “One can trap more flies with sugar than vinegar,” this quote embodies Harper Lee’s purpose in writing TKAM.
Atticus is a prime example of this, bringing empathy to a deeper level. For instance, Atticus musters up the moral courage to defend the innocent Tom Robinson in the case against Mayella Ewell, an action that goes against much of Maycomb’s beliefs. However, the fuel to this motivation initially comes from placing himself in Tom’s shoes in order to see the unjust actions towards him, thus taking the initiative to do something about this prejudice. Atticus goes to the jail cell and possibly endangers himself to prevent the endangerment of Tom. Although he knows he may be risking his life by guarding the front of the jail, he shows moral courage for facing his fears and standing up for what he believes is ethical.
Just standing on the Radley porch was enough.” Scout relives through what Boo Radley must have seen: Jem, Dill, and Scout playing games in their yard, Jem and Scout standing outside while Miss Maudie’s house burnt down, Jem and Scout being attacked. This helps her really understand the man whom she only saw once: Boo
To Kill A Mockingbird, morality is a big part of the theme; what one is taught as a child one will forever use as an adult. The first lesson learned by Scout is empathy. This is taught to her when she and Miss Caroline get into a little fight about how scout knows how to read. Scout comes home and tells her dad, Atticus, about the event. Atticus responds to the event by saying, “You never understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.
Atticus is a morally upright person who teaches his kids a number of important life lessons and leads by example. In Chapter 3, of To Kill A Mockingbird Atticus shows an interest in Scouts feelings as he is quick to notice that something is bothering her. Scout tells Atticus of her rough first day at school and teaches her an important lesson. Atticus says, “if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you 'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks.